Automatic stoker.



W. G. A. HENRY. AUTOMATIC STOKBR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1912.

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W. G. A. HENRY. AUTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7, 1912. r 1,096,106. Patented May12,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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A OR NE W. G. A. HENRY. AUTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7,19172.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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WILLIAM C. A. HENRY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC srroknn,

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented May 12, 19.14.

Application filed Eugust 7, 1912. Serial No. 713.924.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM C. A. Henry, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Frank; lin and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stokers,of which the following is a specification. E

The invention relates to automatic stokers of the underfeed type, andhas for its primary objects; the provision of a stoker mechanism whereinthe agitators on the auxiliary feed plungers and the plungersthemselves, are protected and'a maximum length of life for such partsinsured; and the provision of an automatically operating controllingmeans whereby the movement of the feed plungers is stopped when theplungers are at their greatest distance from the surface of the fuel inthe feed trough. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a longitudinal sectionthrough a locomotive firebox provided with a stoker and showing in sideelevation an assembled view of the controlling mechanism embodying theinvention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the valve mechanismemployed and the controlling means therefor, Fig. ,3 is a transversesection on the line III.III of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 isa vertical sectionthrough the steamadmission valve and the operating means therefor.

.The invention is applicable primarily to underfeed stokers employingfeed troughs and 'auxiliary pistons or plungers therein for giving thefuel a forward feed through the troughs. In this type of apparatus ascommonly employed, the auxiliary pistons are provided adjacent theirfront ends with upward projections called agitators; and the pistonswork upwardly and forwardly through the bottom of the trough, so thatinof the pistons and their agitators are so close to the surface of thefuel that they are exposed .to axheat sufliciently intense to injurethese parts, and-particularly the agitators, such agltatorsby reasonofthis exposure to "the heat when the apparatus is stopped with theplungers in their forward positions, requiring frequent replacement. Thepurpose of the present invent-ion is to provlde a controlling mechanismwhereby the auxiliary pistons always occupy their rear positions whenthe apparatus is brought to a stop, at which time the plungers and the1ragitators are buried at a maximum distance beneath the surface of thefuel in the trough and are so protected from the heat. This result isaccomplished by provlding a controlling means for the valves of theengine'which operates the stoker, such controlling mechanism being soarranged that the .valve is always forced to occupy a. certain positionwhen the supply of steam is cut oil. This of course insures that thepiston of the engine shall always occupy the same position upon the stopage of the apparatus, and this position 0 the piston of the engine isvsuch that the plungers in the feed trough occupy their. rear positions.The position of the engine valve is controlled-by means of air pressuresupplied from the main reservoir used in connection with the brakingapparatus of the train, although steam pressure may be employed ifdesired..'

' Referring first to the general arrangement of parts as indicated inFig.1, the principal parts may be enumerated as follows ;-1 is thefirebox of the locomotive, which may be of any approved type; 2 is anunderfeed trough, on either side of which are the usual side grates (notshown) 3 is the main feed shaft extending transversely of the 1000-motive, and oscillated from the cross head 9 by means of the rocker arm11; 12 is another rocker arm carried by the shaft 10 and connected. tothe main piston 3 by the connecting rod 13; 14,15, and 16 are connectingrods whereby the supplemental pistons 444;are operatedfrom the rockerarm 12; 17 is-the'casing of the main posi-. tively-actuated valve forcontrolling- :==the movement of the piston 7 1 8 is a connecting rod foroperating the valve in the casing 17, such connecting rod being securedat its outer end to acrank 19 carried by the rock shaft 10; 20 is thecasing of a secondary differential valve whose movement is controlled bythe main valve in the casing 17; 21 is the steam supply pipe forfurnishing steam to the engine 6; 22 is the casing of the cutoff valvegoverning the supply of steam to the engine; 23 is an air pipe forconducting air under pressure from the main reservoir of the brakesystem to an actuating means at the end of the, casing 20, forcontrolling the "operation of the secondary valve in such casing; 24 isa three-way valve governing the supply of air passing throughthe pipe23, and also governing the exhaust from such pipe 23; and 25 is an airpipe leading from the casing at the end of the casing 20 to theoperating mechanism in the casing 22. v

The engine shown in Figs. 2 and 3,- is aside from the addition to behereinafter later described, substantially the same as that alwaysemployed with the W'estinghouse air brake pump, and the valve mechanismcomprises the usual main positively operated valve, and a seconddifferential valve controlled by the actuation of the main valve anditself adapted to govern the admission to the cylinder of the engine.The main valve just referred to is shown only in cross section in Fig. 3and is indicated by the reference numeral 26. This valve is reciprocatedby the connecting rod 18 (Fig.

'1), and controls the supply of steam for operating the differentialvalve 27 shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, 28 is the steamadmission passage to which is con nected the supply pipe 21 (Fig. 1) and29 is the exhaust. Steam admitted through the passage 28 exerts pressureupon both of the heads 30 and 31 to which the valve 27 is connected bymeans of the stem 32, so that if these heads are unacted upon by someother force the valve 27 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2. Themovement of the valve-27 to the left to its other position is securedthrough the operation of the main valve 26. This valve 26 governs, theadmis sion of steam to the right hand end of the head 31, and when thisoccurs the valve 27 is. moved to the left. This admission (.5 steam tothe right hand end of the head 31 is secured via the passages 33, 34,and 35, the passage 35 leading to the end of the head 31 from the mainvalve chamber when the mam valve 26 is in one of its extreme,

positions. When the valve 26 reaches its other extreme of position thechamber to the right of the head 31 is connected to the exhaust 29 bymeans of the passages 36 and 37, and when exhaust occurs from this endof the head 31 the parts move back again piston 7 via the passages 39,40, and 29.

Also that when the valve 27 is moved to its extreme position to the leftadmission occurs to the right of the piston 7 via the passage 39, andexhaust occurs from the left of the piston via the passages 38, 40 and29. The

foregoing engine mechanism as described and illustrated is very old andwell known in the art, no claim being made to any of such structure, andonly a very brief descrip tion of such structure being given because ofits well known character.

From a consideration of the foregoing description of the operation of.the valve mechanism it will be seen that the secondary valve 27 issteam-operated, and that if the piston valve 27 is positively held inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the engine will be stopped with thepiston7 occupying its extreme right hand position as indicated in Figs. 1 and2, and when the piston 7 occupies this position, the auxiliary pistons444 will occupy their rearmost positions as indicated in Fig. 1, and thefront ends of these pistons or plungers with their agitators will belocated a maximum distance below the surface of the fuel in the trough.It will be understood therefore that the purpose of the controllingmechanism, about to be described, is to secure themovement of the valve27 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and its maintenance in such positionwhenever the engine is stopped. To this end the air cylinder 41 at theleft hand end of the secondary valve casing 20 is provided, and suchchamber carries a piston 42 provided with a stem 43 which abuts the endof the stem 32, but is not secured thereto. Air is supplied to the lefthand end of the piston 42 by means of the air pipe 23 (Fig. 1).

-When it is desired to stop the engine and maintain the valve 27 in itsextreme right hand position as indicated in Fig. 2, the three-way valve24 is moved to the position indicated in Fig. 1, thus admitting a supplyof air through the pipe 23 and into the cylinder 41. This causes theplunger 42 to move to the right, and its stem 43 engaging with the endof the stem 32 causes the movement of the valve 27 to the position shownin Fig. 2. The area of the piston 42 is such that the differential steampressures applied to the heads 30 and 31 tending to move the valve 27tothe left is insutlicient to cause such movement, so that when air issupplied to the left hand end of the piston 42 the valve 27 is not onlymoved -to the right, but is also maintained in such position as long asthe air pressure is maintained upon the piston 42. The engine is thusstopped with the piston in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and withthe auxiliary plungers in the position shown in such fi ure. It isobviously desirable to also out o the supply of steam to the engine whenthis stoppage occurs, and to this end the pipe 25 and controllingmechanism in the casing 22 illustrated in c oss section in Fig. 4 areprovided. The pipe 25 leads from a small passage 44 in the cylinder 41so positioned that when the piston 42 reaches its extreme righthandposition a flow of air is permitted from the chamber to the left of thepiston 42 to the pipe 25. The pipe 25 leads to the controlling mechanismin the casing 22, such controlling mechanism constituting the ordinarygovernor employed with the Westinghouse air brake system. By referenceto Fig. 3 it will be seen: that the mechanism carried in the casing 22comprises adiaphragm 45, a valve 46 carried thereby, an adjustablespring 47 above the diaphragm 45, passage 48 below the valve 46, aplunger 49, a valve 50, and a spring 51 normally holding the plunger 49in its upper position. When the plunger 42 (Fig. 2) passes the opening44 and admits air tothe passage 25, the air under pressure flowing intothe chamber beneath the diaphragm 45 (Fig. 4) causes the opening of thevalve 46, thus permitting air pressure to be applied .to the upper endof the plunger 49, and such plunger moves down closing the valve 50 andshutting off the supply of steam to the engine.

The operation incident to the stoppage of the engine and the movement ofthe auxiliary pistons in the position indicated in Fig. 1 is as follows:

The handle of the three-way Va; 24 being moved to the position indicatedin Fig. 1, air is admitted through the pipe 23 to the left hand end ofthe cylinder or casing 41. This causes the movement of the plunger 42 tothe ight, and'the engagement of the stem 43 with the stem 32 secures themovement of the valve 27 to the right and its maintenance in theposition indicated in Fig. 2. With the valve 27 in this position, steamis supplied from the valve chamber to the left hand side of the piston 7via the passage 38, exhaust being permitted through the passages 39, 40,and 29. The engine and the auxiliary plungers are-thus stopped in theposition illustrated. The movement of .the plunger to the right alsouncovers the passage 44, permitting a flow of air from the cylinder 41throughthe pipe 25 and to the lower side of the diaphragm 45 (Fig. 4) t;

This causes the opening of the alve .46, admit-ting pressure to theupper side of the plunger 49 and causing the closing of the cut offvalve 50,- so that the supply, of steam to the engine is cut off. hen itis desired to again start the mechanism, the-handle ofthe three-way.valve is moved in a clockwise direction 90 degrees, thus cutting offthe supply of air through the pipe 23', and putting such pipe 23 intocommunication with the exhaust pipe 52. This permits anexhaust of airfrom the upper side of the plunger 49 (Fig. 4), the air passing backthrough the pipe 25 to the cylinder 41 and thence through the pipe 23 tothe exhaust. The plunger 49 immediately moves upward under the influenceof the spring 51, opening the valve 50 and supply ing steam to theengine. There is now no interference with the operation of the valve 27,since the pressure to the left of the plunger 42 has been relieved, sothat such plunger is free to be pushed to the left by the differentialpressure upon the heads 30 and 31.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated itsuse, what I c aimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. The combination with an underfeed stoker having a feed trough and anauxiliary feed member working in the trough and during its forwardmovement approaching the surface of the fuel in the trough and duringits rearward movement receding therefrom, of a steam engine having apiston connected for operating the feed means,

a positively operated main valve, a steam actuated secondary valvecontrolling the movement of the piston and itself controlled from themain valve, and manually controlled means for stopping the secondaryvalve in such position that the piston will be stopped with the feedmember in its rear position.

2. The combination with an underfeed stoker having a feed trough and anauxiliary feed member working in the trough and during its forwardmovement approaching the surface of the fuel in the trough and during.its rearward movement receding therefrom, of a steam engine having apiston connected for operating the feed means, a positively operatedmain valve, a steam actuated secondary valve controlling the movement ofthe piston and itself controlled from the main valve, a cut off valvefor controlling the supply of steam to the eng ne, and manuallycontrolled means for stopping the secondary valve in one extreme ofmovement and securing the closure of the cut off valve, whereby thepiston is stopped in one extreme of movement, and the feed memberstopped in its rear position.

The co-mbin tion with an underfeed Stoker having a eed trough and anauxiliary feed member working in the trough and during its forwardmovement approach ing the surface of the fuel in the trough and duringits rearward movement receding therefrom, of a steam engine having apiston connected for Operating the feed means, a positively operatedmain valve, a steam actuated secondary valve controlling the movement ofthe piston and itself controlled from the main valve, fluid pressureactuated means for stopping the secondary valve in position to securethe stoppage of the feed means in its rear position, and a hand operatedmeans for controlling the supply of fluid to said fluid pressureactuated means.

4. The combination with an underfeed stoker having a feed trough and anauxil- T iary feed member working in the trough and during its forwardmovement approaching the surface of the fuel in the trough and duringits rearward movement receding therefrom, of a steam engine having apiston connected for operating the feed means,

Hay, 1,096,106

a positively operated main valve, a steam engine, fluid pressureactuated means for operating such cut ofl valve, and a hand operatedmeans for controlling the supply of fluid to both of said fluid pressureactuated means. a

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence ofthe two subscribed witnesses.

WILLIAM G. A. HENRY. Witnesses: GEO. W. DAVIDSON, W. L. Soon.

